Iran says 'ball long in US court' over Hormuz security

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Monday that the "ball has long been in the US court" to resolve the Strait of Hormuz crisis, calling on Washington to end its military aggression, economic sanctions, and naval blockade against Tehran. "The ball has long been in the US court. They themselves started the aggression, and they themselves violated their commitments under the memorandum of understanding," Baqaei told reporters, accusing Washington of breaching the understanding just 26 days after it was reached.

Baqaei said talks with Oman on establishing a temporary safe route through the strategic waterway had reached the final stage and made "very good progress." He expressed hope that the arrangement would be registered with the International Maritime Organization in the coming days and warned third parties against interfering in the process.

Regional diplomatic push

Delegations from Oman and Pakistan have visited Iran in recent weeks as part of ongoing efforts to reduce tensions, Baqaei noted. He said a Qatari delegation held what he described as "good meetings" with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday as part of Doha's mediation efforts, adding that "Diplomacy is a dynamic and continuous process," and Tehran would continue using diplomatic channels to safeguard its national interests.

The spokesman said the Strait of Hormuz had faced no security problems before US and Israeli military attacks began on Feb. 28, blaming the current instability on Washington and Tel Aviv. He argued that security could not return to the waterway as long as the naval blockade, economic measures, and attacks on Iranian commercial vessels continued.

Self-defense operations

Baqaei said the continuation of what Tehran calls an economic war and naval blockade would amount to a continuation of military aggression, stating that Iran had the right, both legally and operationally, to take necessary measures in self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. He rejected recent remarks by US Vice President JD Vance referring to the hostilities as a "conflict," saying Washington could not conceal the nature or scale of its actions through rhetoric.

He condemned a US attack last week on Sirik in southern Iran that struck a wedding celebration in the Kuhestak area, noting that Iranian officials had reported four people were killed and 68 others injured in the strike. Baqaei said Iran has faced continuous US military attacks since Feb. 28, accusing Washington of acting with Israeli involvement and continuing its campaign in various forms.

Nuclear file and IAEA access

US and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities were the main obstacle to access by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Baqaei said. "The US is responsible for this situation, and the fact that the IAEA does not have access is because of the crimes committed by the US and the Zionist regime," he said, accusing the US and European countries of using reports by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi as a tool to exert political pressure on Tehran.

Baqaei said the latest move by the US and three European countries on Iran's nuclear file demonstrated "bad faith" and was aimed at escalating tensions. He noted that Britain, France, and Germany triggered the snapback process in August 2025, accusing Iran of failing to meet its commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal, which led to the restoration of previous UN sanctions in September — a move rejected by Iran, China, and Russia.

Asian partners and UN session

Baqaei said Iran-China relations remained "very good" and stable and were based on continuous contacts at various levels, adding that the absence of a lengthy bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a recent summit would not affect ties. On possible negotiations, he said talks were neither inherently good nor bad, describing negotiations as a tool for advancing national interests and security.

On reports about a possible South Korean military contribution in the Strait of Hormuz, Baqaei said any participation in what Tehran considers US military aggression would amount to "complicity" and further complicate the situation, noting that Iran's warning applied to all countries. He said Iran would use the upcoming UN General Assembly session to explain its positions, provided the US, as the host country, fulfills its obligations and issues visas to the Iranian delegation on time.